Da Boyz Painting - Horrors Update 2

This update just has some better resolution pictures to go with the ones I already posted.  The original with my thoughts can be found here. A preview in the first part, click the actual blog article for the rest - they are rather large files and as such I can now see every imperfection!

Da Boyz GT - 1850 List - Second Thoughts

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the list I plan to bring to Da Boyz this year.  In previous years with the composition requirement, it was a bit easier to figure out what to expect - but the meta now is wide open with the inclusion of allies, flyers and fortifications.  I know Fateweaver is strong - but it pains me a bit putting my Warlord, anti-flyer and generic force multiplier into a single slot.  I am going to test the list out this Tuesday - but I am considering making a few revisions to the overall list as well.

My original list can be found here.

Da Boyz Painting - Horrors - Update

I had a chance to spend a few hours last night painting - which was made possible by a visit from my parents who were more than happy to watch over Violette for a few hours.  These pictures were taken at 10:00 last night, so the colors are a bit off, but I will try to get some snapshots tonight with a little better resolution.

Horrors-Front

Da Boyz GT - 1850 List

Although I may have managed to get permission for a trip to Adepticon this year - realistically the Da Boyz GT is the only chance I have to play in a large 40k event each year.  Last year I, unfortunately, finished poorly overall due to my lack of painting and the strict composition rules enforced.  When it comes to battle points, however, I was in the running until the end and on Turn 5 of my last game I believe had a shot at Best General.  Unfortunately, a little bit of luck (or lack thereof!) and my own mistakes foiled that.

This year I want to bring a fully painted army (I know I know I took some unpainted models with me last year to a GT), which means buckling down and deciding what I am going to play now.  I do have some CSM models - but without the new rules and with unpainted cultists, helbrute, lord and chosen I do not see myself prepping those models in time.  That means pure Daemons again, and it also means I need to flesh out my list.  Fortifications are, generically, out for Daemons since there are none that really benefit them.  Instead, I am planning to bring the following list...

1850 - RTT - G3 - 9-8-12

Game 3

Deployment: Dawn of War
Mission: Purge the Alien (Killpoints)
Opponent: Imperial Guard w/ Dark Angel Allies

My army list can be found here.

HQ
Company Command Squad w/ Plasma Gun, Medic
Primaris Psyker w/ Lightning (other useless power)
Allied: Librarian w/ rolled powers Prescience, Force Dome

Elite
10x Ratling Snipers

Troops
Platoon w/ 2x Lascannon, Plasmagun
Veteran Squad in Chimera w/ 3x Meltagun
Veteran Squad in Chimera w/ 3x Plasmagun
Allied: 10x Space Marines w/ Plasmagun, Plasma Cannon

Fast Attack
Hellhound w/ hull Heavy Flamers
Allied: Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta

Heavy Support
Leman Russ Demolisher w/ Heavy Bolter Sponsons, Hull Lascannon
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Hull Lascannon
Basilisk
Allied: Vindicator

1850 - RTT - G2 - 9-8-12

Game 2

Deployment: Diagonals
Mission: The Relic
Opponent: Imperial Guard

My army list can be found here.

HQ
Company Command Squad w/ Plasma Gun, Med Pack, Banner

Elite

Troops
Platoon w/ Lascannon, Sniper Rifles, Cloaks, Snare Mines
Veterans w/ 3x Melta Guns, Demolitions
Veterans in Chimera w/ 3x Plasma Guns
Veterans in Chimera w/ Lascannon, (maybe melta guns?)

Fast Attack
1x Valkyrie w/ three Lascannons

Heavy Support
2x Leman Russ Executioner w/ Plasma Cannon Sponsons and Hull Mounted Lascannon
Leman Russ Vanquisher w/ Multi-melta Sponsons and Hull Mounted Lascannon
Leman Russ Battle Tank w/ Heavy Bolter Sponsons

1850 - RTT - G1 - 9-8-12

It was tournament day, the day I had been looking forward to all week long and I almost did not go.  My beautiful 5 month old daughter decided the night before that sleeping is for suckers, so I was up at 2:00 in the morning driving her around in the car, trying to get her some sleep so her mother could also get some sleep.

Usually I try to show up early to help setup at events, but as the 9:30 start of signups began, I was debating staying home with my little girl instead, when my wonderful wife said "You should definitely go."  With that stamp of approval I grabbed my models and got in about 15 minutes before the start of the tournament.

Day Before Tournament Nerf Bat

For those who have not seen the new FAQ's, they are up and resolve a number of open issues that have arisen from the BRB.  Notably, Fateweaver cannot benefit those Tzeetch Terminators (sorry guys) and for a pure Daemon list they nerfed the wound allocation tricks you could pull with Heralds in the original document.

The link to the new FAQ is here.  Naturally, since I traveled to my in-laws for this one, I did not bring all of my Daemons with me.  That means I have a Tzeetch and Khorne Herald that - while not useless - are much less effective than they originally were.  No more wound allocation tricks - which actually is a huge hit to the Bloodcrushers who really cannot afford to lose the models closest to the enemy given him slow they are.

The Flamers take a hit too with the loss of allocation tricks - but some clever positioning might enable at least some wounds to be spread out a little.  With that in mind, I have a camera, dice, ruler, army and willingness to get crushed for tomorrow - although there are also aspirations of greatness.

1850 - New Thoughts on 1850

I spent a lot of time thinking about the list I posted the other day, and for some reason I am just not feeling it when it comes to the composition.  It has some elements I like, but I want to try something different and experiment a bit against some good competition at this weeks RTT.

The rules allow allies, fortifications and I believe terrain placement.  With that in mind I want to follow a few design rules as part of the experiment:

1 - Larger units of Daemons are the way to go this edition - especially with respect to troops
2 - Fateweaver is awesome this edition (for now at least!) and a force multiplier - but I am not bringing him
3 - The new units have incredible maneuverability and damage output - they form the new core of a daemon list
3a - I only have 6 Flamers and 9 Screamers! I have just about all else in quantity
4 - The new assault rules make having to break transports with shooting a thing of the past
5 - Other than FMC, Daemons have no good way to deal with Flyers - this reality I accept and rather than implement bad solutions, I will ignore them completely.

With that in mind, here is the initial list I plan to run - please tell me your thoughts.

Warlord: Herald of Khorne Blessings of The Blood God; Fury of Khorne; Juggernaut of Khorne 
HQ: Herald of Tzeentch - Master of Sorcery; We Are Legion; Bolt of Tzeentch; Disc of Tzeentch

Elite: 4x Bloodcrushers of Khorne
Elite: 6x Flamers of Tzeentch

Troops: 7x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
Troops: 7x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
Troops: 18x Daemonettes of Slaanesh
Troops: 18x Pink Horrors of Tzeentch w/ Changeling

Fast Attack: 9x Screamers of Tzeentch

Heavy Support: Soul Grinder of Chaos - Phlegm
Heavy Support: Soul Grinder of Chaos - Phlegm

I actually did try to hit sacred numbers as much as possible - or multiples of them at least. I was a bit torn on the Crushers versus Fiends, but I wanted a more durable Warlord for the missions and someone that could take down an enemy in a challenge. Skulltaker would be better, but I am not sure where to free the points up. Notably, I plan to DS the crushers disgustingly close to enemy lines.

1850 - Tournament - First 6th ed

With two games squarely under my belt, I think it is time to attend a tournament.  Actually, I do not expect great things from this particular outing but I will have a camera and a write up on some of my thoughts.  I plan to attend the Millenium Games (plug) 1850 tournament, which is a qualifier for the end of the year store championship   Luckily, I have already qualified so this is a great excuse to grab 3 competitive games in a row.

The real question is what to bring with me for an army list.  Here is a list of everything I have available to me for the tournament...